03/20/2025
๐๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฅ โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ก๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ?
I have been in Family Law for over 3 decades, and I can count on ONE hand how many people, either receiving or paying Child Support, actually understood what Child Support is for and why it's important. Often times, people are so saturated with negative emotions toward the other parent that the idea of paying them one cent for Child Support is painful for them, or the parent receiving the support thinks THEY are entitled to it... and this goes either way, with men or women both.
The fact is, Child Support is established to ensure that both parents are sharing the financial responsibilities for the child(ren), to create responsible parenting, to alleviate the financial burden on the custodial parent, and most importantly, to make sure the child(ren)'s needs are being met. Child Support can also help reduce the risk of a child having to experience poverty, it can reduce the need for public assistance, and it can also help encourage the involvement of the non-custodial parent.
When someone is ordered to pay Child Support, it helps to NOT think of it as simply giving money to the other parent, but think of it that you are helping to pay for the roof over your child's head, the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the heat that keeps them warm, the transportation (car payment and gas) they need to get to school or extracurricular activities, their school supplies, field trips, day care, and every other expense that involves raising your child. You are contributing to the daily living expenses of your child, and you should feel proud that you are able to do that. The child comes first.
Frankly, the Courts view Child Support as the child(ren)'s money, not money for the other parent, and for that reason, the Courts rarely (and not without good cause) deviate from the amount that is supposed to be paid pursuant to the guideline.
In Colorado, Child Support is based on a guideline formula using both parties' gross monthly incomes, the number of overnights each parent gets with the child(ren), and any extra expenses for the child(ren) such as daycare, insurance, etc. Those numbers are entered into a Child Support program, and that program calculates the amount based on the guideline amount set by the legislature.
๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ๐๐?
Child Support can be ordered by the Court in many ways -- through a divorce case, a Parental Responsibilities (APR) case, a Paternity/Parentage (JV) case, and Child Support Orders can also be entered separately through actions initiated by Child Support Enforcement or the Department of Social Services.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐
๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ?
The Family Support Registry, also known as the FSR, is a payment processing center in Colorado, where child support payments as well as spousal support payments can be sent, recorded, and disbursed. They have no powers to enforce court orders and do not have the ability to initiate any actions for non-payment. The primary benefit for using the FSR for payments processing is that they maintain the payment record for your court order -- you do not have to keep records for years and years, and if you need a payment history to calculate arrearages, their record is readily available. The FSR also eliminates the need for contact between the parties for payment. If a person is ordered to pay Child Support through a Income Withholding Order (similar to a garnishment, but without the negative stigma), the payments are required to go through the FSR. Also, if one person in a case requests payments to be processed through the FSR, the Court will undoubtedly approve that request, and if Child Support is established by Child Support Enforcement or Social Services, those payments are also required to go through the FSR.
If you have any questions about Child Support -- how to get it established, how to get it terminated if your child is emancipated, how to get it modified, how to collect on arrearages, how to implement an Income Withholding Order.... CALL ME!
I offer a FREE initial phone consultation and would be happy to answer your questions.
My office is open Mon-Thurs 8:30am-4:30pm
(303) 457-2700
Photo Credit: Image by jcomp on Freepik
